Crash course

What seemed an earnest attempt by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to address the issue of road safety in the country has turned into a PR disaster. In a video blog posted in November, Medvedev proposed huge fines for traffic infractions and criminal penalties for drunk driving.

Sporting a black leather hoodie, he dramatically exits a dark SUV, and says, “Every week there is news of terrible accidents, including such outrageous ones as people being run down at a bus stop.”

Instead of sparking a debate on a serious issue, the video’s macho style has been ridiculed. Political analyst Yevgeny Minchenko called it a “disaster” for Medvedev’s image. “The only thing missing from this clip was the music from Bimmer (a popular gangster film).”